10 years HI ERN: 10 years of research for a climate-neutral industrial society
Erlangen, 12 July 2023 - The HI ERN celebrated its tenth anniversary today, 12 July, together with numerous companions and cooperation partners. At the Institute's headquarters in Erlangen, guests from science, industry and politics celebrated achievements to date and discussed the Institute's current scientific work.
HI ERN was founded in August 2013 with the aim of researching and developing material- and process-based solutions for a climate-neutral, sustainable and cost-effective energy supply of the future based on renewable energies. This task is more topical than ever in view of the urgent need for a global energy transition. With its pioneering scientific contributions in recent years, HI ERN has already been able to earn a place among the world's leading research institutions in this field.
The institute, which is affiliated as a branch to Forschungszentrum Jülich, benefits from close cooperation with Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB). HI ERN has grown continuously since its foundation and now comprises eight research departments with more than 180 employees from over 30 different nations. The institute's strong growth has led to research on sustainable energy technologies at a total of six locations in the Erlangen-Nuremberg region, thus providing decisive impetus for the success of the energy transition - with regional, national and international appeal and impact. The thematic focus of the institute is on photovoltaic energy systems and innovative hydrogen technologies.
World records and innovative impulses for the energy transition
In the field of photovoltaic research, HI ERN has been able to report spectacular research successes: For example, a research team with HI ERN participation has held the world efficiency record for organic solar modules for four years. In 2021, the researchers from Erlangen also succeeded in developing a variant for perovskite solar cells that stands out due to its extraordinary stability. Perovskites are seen as the beacon of hope for the solar modules of the future - they can be produced more simply, more cheaply and more energy-efficiently than conventional silicon-based solar cells. "New photovoltaic technologies can ideally complement silicon PV and open up new opportunities for multi-benefit applications. Flexible, lightweight, transparent and adaptive photovoltaic films will be easy to integrate into agriculture, building facades or even daily infrastructure in the future, saving resources," says Prof. Christoph J. Brabec, Director at HI ERN. Innovative printable solar modules are being developed under the leadership of researchers at HI ERN through the Helmholtz-wide research platform "Solar Technology Acceleration Platform for emerging Photovoltaics" (Solar TAP for short). The platform is intended to make new photovoltaic technologies quickly and easily accessible to industry, society and consumers. In addition, methods have been developed at HI ERN to predict the degradation and failure risk of solar modules in the field with greater module accuracy or to optimise the manufacturing process of modern solar cells with the help of computer simulations.
Hydrogen technologies for the climate-neutral industrial society
Hydrogen is considered a key element for the success of the energy transition - if it is produced in a climate-neutral way. The performance of the required conversion units, e.g. electrolysers and fuel cells, is essentially based on the high-performance materials used and their interaction. This is precisely what is being investigated at HI ERN at the highest international level. In the new research building of the HI ERN, globally unique test facilities for catalyst stress and function tests have been in operation since autumn 2021. These allow parallelised testing in conjunction with high-resolution analytics to clarify damage scenarios and accelerate material development. In many cases, data-based research approaches play a key role here. In cooperation with the HZB, the determined correlations between structural properties of the materials and their performance characteristics are being investigated and elucidated in greater depth. X-ray spectroscopic methods at the BESSY II synchrotron facility in Berlin are used in particular for this purpose.
The developed electrocatalysts are connected with commercial high-performance membranes developed at the institute to form membrane electrode units, which are the heart of the electrolysis and fuel cell stacks. The development of cost-effective manufacturing processes for the series production of electrolysers and fuel cells plays a central role here. The modelling of printing and coating processes allows the targeted optimisation of material combinations and manufacturing processes.
Another focus at HI ERN is on processes for chemical hydrogen storage, often in combination with electrochemical process steps. The LOHC technology ("Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier"), which was largely developed in Erlangen, plays a key role here and is being further developed with strategic research partners in the region (e.g. Siemens Mobility, Schaeffler, Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies) for concrete application scenarios. The work of the HI ERN has received the highest international recognition. In the evaluation of the programme-oriented research funding of the Helmholtz Association in 2019, the international jury awarded the LOHC research activities at Erlang the rating "world-class". LOHC technology enables the safe and efficient handling of hydrogen in the existing fuel infrastructure. HI ERN's work has contributed significantly to important demonstrators of the technology, such as the world's first LOHC-supplied hydrogen filling station, which has been in regular operation in Erlangen since July 2022. An important current project, which is currently being implemented using the example of a zero-emission commuter train, is concerned with the on-board use of LOHC systems to power large vehicles.
Scientific productivity, innovative strength and technology transfer
Since the institute was founded, researchers at HI ERN have written over 600 scientific publications, which have been cited over 14,000 times to date. Many of the papers have been published in the world's leading journals in the field, such as Nature Energy, Energy & Environmental Science or Science Advances. HI ERN researchers have been awarded numerous prizes, and four HI ERN scientists are listed in the illustrious "Top 2% Scientists Worldwide" by Standford University. Prof. Christoph Brabec, HI ERN director and head of the research department "High Throughput Methods in Photovoltaics", is already listed for the tenth time in a row on Clarivate Analytics' annual list of the most cited and thus most influential researchers in the world.
In its still short history, HI ERN has already had significant successes in technology transfer: Over twenty patent applications have been filed by HI ERN researchers in recent years. A first spin-off company is already internationally successful with a product base that was created at HI ERN. Currently, three more company foundation projects are being pursued at the institute in order to help the technological findings of the institute's research achieve a breakthrough in practical application. For only in the form of technological implementation can the considerable climate protection potential of the Institute's technological developments actually be realised.
Voices on the anniversary
Prof. Karl Mayrhofer, Managing Director of HI ERN, proudly looks back on the developments of the institute, also beyond the scientific work: "A milestone was certainly the inauguration and commissioning of our headquarters in the direct vicinity of FAU. We would also like to thank the intensive support of the university management and colleagues throughout the entire construction phase until we moved in, including the provision of laboratories and offices, which decisively enabled the successful development of the institute. All in all, it shows what an excellent level of research is possible thanks to the constructive cooperation of all partners - i.e. the Forschungszentrum Jülich, HZB and FAU - and the funding bodies such as the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy."
"We are very confident," adds founding director Prof. Peter Wasserscheid, "that on this basis we will be able to make a very substantial contribution to the energy transition in Germany and the world in the coming years with the research results of HI ERN." Wasserscheid is also the managing director of the new Institute for Sustainable Hydrogen Economy (INW) at Forschungszentrum Jülich.
Dr. Jarothe, Head of Office of the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy:
"A sustainable, secure and affordable energy future depends on innovation and new ideas: For this, we need forward-looking research institutions like HI ERN here in Franconia, which has been doing excellent work for the energy transition and our entire business and science location for 10 years now."
Prof. Joachim Hornegger, President, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg:
"For ten years now, we have been researching together with our partners from the Helmholtz Association on one of the social challenges of our time: the energy transition. HI ERN offers the best conditions for interdisciplinary collaboration between top scientists from chemistry, physics, nanotechnology and materials science. This research environment thus offers and enables innovations to drive renewable energies forward."
Dr. Ir. Peter Jansens, Mitglied des Vorstandes, Forschungszentrum Jülich:
"HI ERN has been very successful in its first 10 years. The undeniable effects of climate change and the urgent need for energy security, make it clear that the Energiewende has to be accelerated and HI ERN with its outstanding “solar” and “hydrogen” research is very well positioned for the future."
Copyright: HI ERN/Giulia Iannicelli
Facts about the HI ERN
Foundation
In August 2013, the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nuremberg for Renewable Energies (HI ERN) is founded in Erlangen as a branch of Forschungszentrum Jülich. Through close cooperation with the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB), the HI ERN pools the partners' expertise in the field of renewable energies and makes a decisive contribution to the transformation of the energy industry.
The Helmholtz Centres in Jülich and Berlin contribute their expertise in the areas of materials research for solar technologies and the production of hydrogen from renewable energies. Another focus is on system technologies related to hydrogen. FAU is contributing its internationally recognised materials and process research from the Cluster of Excellence Engineering of Advanced Materials (EAM) to the research and development of systems for renewable energies.
Founding Director
The founding director is the award-winning chemist Prof. Dr. Peter Wasserscheid. He also holds the Chair of Chemical Reaction Engineering at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) and was instrumental in the development of LOHC technology.
Team
Today, over 180 employees from more than 30 different nations work in eight research departments to achieve HI ERN's research goals in the areas of science, administration and technical support.
Locations in the Metropolitan Region
Around two thirds of the total of 180 employees work in the 3,200 m² of floor space at the headquarters on the southern campus of FAU in Erlangen, which will be inaugurated in 2021. The interdisciplinary approach is also reflected in the modern research building: the physical and chemical laboratories that large-scale, coherent areas are created in which cross-disciplinary collaboration is ensured in the spirit of the research goals - in the sense of sustainable energy supply for future generations. HI ERN is represented at a total of five other locations in the region - on the Erlangen campus as well as in Nuremberg and Fürth.
Organisation
HI ERN is part of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (HGF). With more than 45,000 employees and an annual budget of 5.8 billion euros, the HGF is Germany's largest scientific organisation.
Funding
As part of Forschungszentrum Jülich, HI ERN receives funding from the Helmholtz Association (90% from the Federal Republic of Germany, 10% from the Free State of Bavaria), from the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy and, to a considerable extent, through the implementation of third-party funded projects.
Contact
Prof. Dr. Peter Wasserscheid
Director and Head of Research Department Chemical Hydrogen Storage
Room T3.94
Prof. Dr. Karl Mayrhofer
Executive Director and Head of Research Department Electrocatalysis
Room OG3
